Shloka 23
आरण्यकाण्डे चतुस्त्रिंशः सर्गः
Śūrpaṇakhā Reports to Rāvaṇa; Rāma’s Might and Sītā’s Description
कुरु प्रियं तथा तेषां रक्षसां राक्षसेश्वर।वधात्तस्य नृशंसस्य रामस्याश्रमवासिनः।।।।
kuru priyaṁ tathā teṣāṁ rakṣasāṁ rākṣaseśvara |
vadhāt tasya nṛśaṁsasya rāmasyāśramavāsinaḥ ||
Wahai raja para Rākṣasa, lakukanlah ‘kebaikan’ bagi kaum mereka: bunuhlah Rāma, penghuni pertapaan, yang oleh wanita itu dituduh sebagai kejam.
O lord of the demons, do a favour to your clan by killing that cruel Rama dwelling in the hermitage.
FAQs
It illustrates inversion of dharma: calling violence a ‘favour’ to one’s group. The Ramayana critiques clan-loyalty used to justify unjust killing, especially of an āśrama-dweller.
Śūrpaṇakhā urges Rāvaṇa to murder Rāma as retaliation and as supposed benefit to the Rākṣasa clan.
The implied virtue is protection of the innocent and reverence for āśrama life—values threatened by the proposed act.